USS Greeneville Changes Command

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jason Swink, Submarine Force Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine.

USS Greeneville (SSN 772) held a change of command ceremony Sept. 4.

Cmdr. Gabriel Anseeeuw relieved Cmdr. Martin Muckian as commanding officer.

Muckian expressed how proud he is of having had the opportunity to be in command of the submarine for the last 31 months.

"It has been the greatest honor and privilege of my professional life to have served as your captain," said Muckian to his crew.

"During my time in command this crew has sailed all over the Pacific, from San Diego to Singapore. They have conducted to very successful deployments to the western Pacific," said Muckian. "They were assigned some of the most difficult missions and executed them superbly."

In command since Feb. 3, 2012, Muckian led his submarine to complete almost back to back six month Western Pacific deployments, carrying out special one of a kind projects using new technologies and operating in challenging environments.

The ceremony's guest speaker, Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley, deputy commander for Undersea Warfare Naval Sea Systems Command, praised Muckian and his crew.

"I congratulate you and your crew on the outstanding successes you have racked up over the last three years," said Jabaley.

Jabaley attributed the Greeneville's successes to their maintenance expertise, grace under pressure and ingenuity.

"When you are, as we say, at the pointy end of the spear, you have no support. When something breaks, you have to fix it and that's what they did," said Jabaley. "The crew surmounted every challenge and kept the submarine on station, allowing her to do the missions she was sent to do."

During the ceremony, Muckian was awarded the Legion of Merit for his successes in command of Greeneville from January 2012 to September 2014.

"A professional, motivated and highly competent crew, Greeneville is clearly ready for any challenge that may come her way," said Anseeuw.

USS Greeneville is the 61st Los Angeles-class submarine and the 22nd Improved Los Angeles-class attack submarine.

USS Greeneville was commissioned as a U.S. Naval warship at Norfolk Naval Base February 16, 1996. Greeneville changed homeport to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in March 1997.